Two gang members sentenced in 2009 murder of Carson teen

Christine Mai-Duc

Two gang members were sentenced Friday in the 2009 murder of a Carson teenager, who was shot several times in the back as he walked home from school.

Luis Torres, 23, was sentenced to 75 years to life, the maximum sentence, for his role in the crime. Darnell Jones, 22, received 50 years to life in prison, according to the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which investigated the murder, Torres and Jones were members of the Carver Park Crips street gang.

On the afternoon of Jan. 26, 2009, 19-year-old Michael Owens, who prosecutors said was not a gang member, was walking home from school on 132nd Street in Compton when he was shot multiple times in the back.

His father had just returned home from military duty when his son was killedd, prosecutors said.

Arrests were not made in the case until two years later, sheriff's records show.

Torres and Jones were convicted last June of first-degree murder, with gun and gang allegations.

A third defendant, Ronald Armstrong, 25, pleaded guilty in 2012 to manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon. He is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 23.

A call to Torres’ attorney was not returned. Dale Atherton, an attorney for Jones, declined to comment but said he plans to file an appeal next week on his client’s behalf.